Rear window dehydrator for automobile bodies



Sept. 11, 1945. R 2,384,769

REAR WINDOW DEHYDRATOR FOR AUTOMOBILE BODIES 7 Filed March 7, 1944 ,3 vI Juventor 1 50R EBAY Gttomeg Patented Sept. 11, 1945 REAR WINDOWDEHYDRATOR FOR AUTOMOBILE BODIES George Ray, McGraw, N. Y.

Application March 7, 1944, Serial No. 525,471

4 Claims.

This invention pertains to a novel cold-weather automotive accessory ofthe self-contained air spray type for rendering an interiorly befoggedrear window pane of a motor car body or truck cab free from surplusmoisture condensate during winter driving whereby to afford a safeallclear line of vision for a seated driver when required to lookoutwardly through such rear window.

The object of my improvements is to devise a low cost dehydrator unitfor automobiles or the like by which to clear a befogged rear windowpane in an inherently simple and automatic manner, also to contrivecertain structural features that facilitate the application thereof toused cars as an independently marketable body accessory.

Reference is had to the accompanying one sheet of drawings that areillustrative of several exemplifications, and in which drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a rear perspective of a passenger car equipped with mydehydrator accessories.

Fig. 2 presents an assembly of such unit as seen from the verticalsection 2-2 .of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectionalized body fragment taken along 3-4 of Fig. 2, andFig. 4 a similar top view as seen from ll-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is 93' view that corresponds to Fig. 3 and schematically depictsa modified inbuilt unit.

Fig. 6 is a perspective of an end outlet scoop used inFig. 2.

In these disclosures, the sheathed automobile body it is provided with afixedly mounted transverse rear window pane ii of a conventional typeretained by a weatherproof outer sash or window frame it. The numerall3.denotes a side tail window commonly installed behind each body doorit and in close rectangular relationship to said rear pane l I.

When applying my noiseless dehydrator unit as an accessory to used cars,I preferably drill or otherwise perforate the lower rearward corner ofsaid tail window with a small circular aperture as at it (see Fig. 1).Sealingly entered therethrough, is the elbow nipple I S that maycooperate in the Fig. 3 fashion with a hollow air collector scoop ll ofthe side opening type. Said scoop is preferably disposed exteriorly ofthe body confines to comprise laterally spaced flank walls such as. i8that may be fabricated from moulded plastic or stamped metal. Theseregistering flanks may be given an acute sectorlike shape and have theiredges cross-connected by the rim arcuate wall to leave an openinstalled, said open mouth is headed forwardly in the direction ofnormal vehicle travel to free- 1!! scoop up a supply of fresh air fromthe car exterior while en route and which air is given requisitemobility by the forward motor car movement.

The vertex region 23 of said rim wall may be given a semi-cylindricalcontour at the center of which both flank walls may be alignedlyapertured for the reception of a through clamping bolt 24. One suchaperture constitutes an enlarged side outlet port 28 (see Fig. 6) whichdelivers directly into the body interior. A tubular elbow 25 has one endprovided with a nipple is shown telescopically entered within the port28 and doweled in place. The drilled tail pane l3 may. be interposedbetween the abutting shouldered members I! and 25, there being a pair ofcushioning gaskets such as 28 used to seal these clamped members againstleakage.

As detailed in Figs. 2 to 4, the opposite end of the elbow 25 may alsobe provided with a nipplelike extension that is tightly embraced by theflexible conduit 21 to convey air from the outlet port 28 to the ejectoror nozzle agency 29. This nozzle is preferably kept elevated above thescoop outlet port and otherwise arranged in self trapping fashion. Suchseparator action suflices to keep the delivered air relatively dry andeffectively prevent entrained rain or the like from being carriedupwardly through the conduit 21!.

It will be observed that the marginal confines of my outlet port 28 arekept radially inset to a substantial degree with respect to thepartially clrcumscribing rim wall 20 in order that entrapped rain dropsmay by separator action readily sweep beyond such port to impingeagainst said wall and be drained out by the scoop mouth 2|. The outerflat flank wall of the ai. scroop I1 is preferably non-overhanginglyconfined within the outwardly projectlng limits of the annular tailwindow sash 38 to avoid being struck by passing trafllc.

The ejector nozzle 29 is located interiorly of the body sheath 36 andmay be provided with a flat spout 30 that inclinedly delivers air towardand along a localized interior face region of the rear pane i I. Saidspout is shown equipped with a retractable throttle plate 3| that may beadlustably controlled by the thumb nut 32. The aim is to provide for aliberal passageway leading to my nozzle and to deliberately control theI mouth 2! in the divergent arc region of such air flow as it impingesagainst the pane ll. As

pane is intended to be located on the driver's side and in substantialregistry with a conventional rear view mirror (not shown) The pane Itmay be firmly secured between the outer sash or window frame l2 and theinner sash or frame 33. The last named may be demountably attached bythe customary screws 34 and such standardized fastenings are preferablyutilized to retain my nozzle and one conduit end in place by means ofthe saddle strap 35 or the like without relying for support upon theinner fabric lining 31. The design of my unit as an automotiveaccessory, is in other respects adapted to be easily installed in usedcars without need of extensive body alterations. To this end, theconduit 21 is purposely disposed in double offset bend fashion to affordan inconspicuous and neat installation that does not mar the interiorbody trim.

Referring now to Fig. 5 (in which elements corresponding to theforegoing members are designated by primed numerals), this reveals a newequipment type of unit that may readily be inbuilt between the externalbody sheath 36 and its spaced lining 31. The relatively deep outer sash38' of the tail window i3 may be transwill be understood, the clearedregion of said disposed exteriorly alongside said tail window and havingan outlet port delivering interiorly of the body through the aperture ofsaid tail window, means for aflixing said scoop to the tail window, anozzle mounted to eject toward and along an-inner face region of therear window pane, a saddle strap affixed to the aforesaid inner frame bythe screw fastenings thereof and serving to retain the nozzle inoperative position, and a flexible conduit conveying collected air fromsaid port for delivery through the nozzle, said strap further serving toretain in place the delivery end region of said conduit.

2. A dehydrator accessory adapted to be applied to an automotive bodyequipped with a transverse rear window pane and a side tail windowhaving an aperture therethrough, said accessory comprising an aircollector scoop arranged exteriorly alongside said tail window tocomprise opposed flank walls of which one such is provided with anoutlet port delivering interiorly of g the body confines, a tubularelbow of which one end is provided with a nipple telescopicallyentered'through the' window aperture and into said port, means clampingthe scoop and said elbow toward the interposed tail window, a nozverselyapertured as at 39 for the reception of a modified collector scoop ofthe open ended type. Such scoop provides for a tubular shank 4|extending radially rearward from the rim wall 20' that serves as anoutlet port to which the conduit 21 is attached. Such concealed conduitleads to the nozzle 29 that may be kept similar to the spout devicesshown in Figs. 2 and 4.

The mode of operation of my dehydrating air spray is thought to beobvious. It is generally recognized that the windows of an artificiallyheated closed car body may be cleared of interior moisture precipitationor the like befogged condition by widely opening one or more suchwindows until the body air temperature has become equalized with thesurrounding atmosphere. My safety devices accomplish a like result thatis purposely confined to the localized rear window region withoutrequiring a corresponding lowering of the entire body temperature. Thatis to say, my defogging treatment is restricted to a limited rear bodyzone and kept free from pronounced drafts without inconvenience to thecar occupants. As will be understood, the nozzle ejected air is usuallydrier than the air moisture content prevailing in the interior ofaheated car body. When operative, my nozzle primarily serves to maintainadequate transparency through the cleared rear window pane whereby toguard against collision or the like accident and onlyincidentally-provides for body ventilation.

The foregoing description will, it is believed, make evident to thoseskilled in this art, the

, more outstanding advantages and service benefits afforded by mydehydrator unit, and I reserve the right to reasonably modify thespecifically disclosed embodiments, all without departing from thespirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

' 1. A dehydrator accessory adapted to be applied to an automotivebodyequipped with a transverse rear window pane that is screw fastened inplace by an inner frame and further equipped withan apertured side tallwindow retained by an endless outer frame, said accessory comprising arelatively flat air collector scoop zle mounted to inject toward andalong an interior face region of said rear window pane in an elevatedrelation to the outlet port, and a flexible conduit conveying collectedair from the other elbow end for delivery through the nozzle.

3. An automotive body accessory adapted to be applied to a body equippedwith a transverse rear window pane and with an apertured side tailwindow retained by an endless outer frame that projects exteriorlybeyond the last named pane, a relatively flat air collector scoopdisposed flatwise alongside said tail window substantially within theprojecting confines of said outer frame and which scoop is provided withan outlet port delivering interiorly of the body through the aperture ofthe tail window, means for afiixing said scoop to the tail window, anozzle directed to eject toward and along an inner face region of saidrear window pane, means supporting said nozzle adjacent to the rearwindow'pane, and a conduit bridgingly extending between said apertureand the nozzle in retained double offset bend formation to conveycollected air for delivery through the nozzle.

4. A rain trapped dehydrator accessory adapted to be applied to anautomotive body equipped with a transverse rear window pane and with anapertured side tail window, said accessory comprising a flared "hollowair collector scoop disposed exteriorly alongside said tail window andprovided with opposed flank walls respectively having sector-shapededges and which scoop further includes a rim wall that cross-con nectscorresponding vertex regions of said edges, one such flank wall havingan outlet port that delivers through the aperture of the tail windowwith the marginal confines of said port kept materially inset relativeto the rim wall contour, means for afilxing said scoop to the tailwindow, a nozzle elevated with respect to said port and mounted to ejecttoward and along the interior face of the rear pane, means supportingsaid nozzle adjacent to the last-named pane, and a conduit conveyingcollected air from said port for delivery through the nozzle.

GEORGE RAY.

